In an unusual and heart-warming event, a wild elephant gave birth to a calf beside the Hazaribagh–Barkakana railway track, prompting authorities to suspend train services along the route for nearly two hours.
The incident occurred under the Ramgarh Forest Division, and due to swift coordination between forest and railway officials, both the mother and the newborn were kept safe.
Although the birth took place early on the morning of 25 June, the event remained under wraps until the Ramgarh Divisional Forest Office shared details on Wednesday.
According to Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Nitish Kumar, a herd of elephants had been moving through the region via Bokaro and Ramgarh, eventually reaching Sarawaha village.
During the journey, one pregnant elephant became separated from the group and wandered near the railway line.
Just as she was about to cross the tracks, the elephant went into labour and delivered her calf on the spot. Heavy rain and flowing water in a nearby drainage channel made it difficult for her to help the newborn cross safely, the DFO explained.
In response, forest officials immediately alerted railway authorities, who temporarily halted train operations.
Following the safe delivery, the mother elephant and her calf walked around 10 kilometres before re-entering the forest via an established elephant corridor. Train services resumed only after the animals had cleared the area.
Kumar said the entire process—from labour to the return to the jungle—took approximately two hours, between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. He also praised local villagers for their cooperation in ensuring the elephants had a secure passage.
Forest department officials said this was the first time they had witnessed an elephant give birth from such close proximity, marking a rare and memorable wildlife moment in the region.
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